You and I Collide
by Atemusluckygal
Summary: Songfic to "Collide" by Howie Day, the acoustic version. Tea rescues her old guitar from her mom's garage sale, falls back in love with it, and plays a song that captures the heart of the Nameless Pharaoh. Not AU. YamixTea. Written by a musician. :D
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!.**

**Okay, so I lied... new story coming your way! I just felt so inspired by this song, I had to base a fiction on it. Update for the other stories will come soon, I promise!**

**The song is called "Collide" by Howie Day. Yeah, you probably already know this song, and if you're one of those readers that likes to listen to the song while reading song fics, then I'll note that this fic is based off of the ACOUSTIC version. Much more relevant to the story, anyway.**

**No, it is not AU. I don't do AU. Kcool.**

**Also, it's 6am here and I haven't slept a wink. Yes, there are mistakes in here. Yes, I will fix them. But not when I'm this dysfunctional. Kthanks.**

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**Chapter 1**

It all started with the day of the garage sale... the event Mrs. Gardner held annually in the family's front yard, to keep the house from becoming full of useless clutter. Her groggy, sleepy-eyed daughter arose from her bed, barely ready to start moving boxes outside and shoo away the early birds that wander around the front of her house, who were hoping to snag the best deals. Tea really didn't like dealing with those people. Honestly, she just wanted to get through the day as quickly as possible, so she could at least go back to sleep, or hang out with her friends. Tea had even asked a few times to opt out, but her mother insisted that if she wanted dinner tonight, she would help.

All in all, Tea wasn't really paying much attention to who or what was around her, the customers stopping to browse and then shortly leaving, most of them uninterested in the array of items for sale. The whole thing was a bore. Tea only sat dully in her chair, texting her friends on her phone (promising them again and again that as soon as she's liberated from this hell, she'd join them), when she noticed a woman studying something in the corner. The object, not the woman, was the thing that caught her attention.

Tea saw her old guitar, lying on its back in an old black hard case with the lid propped open. Beneath the dust and dirt was an exceptionally beautiful hand-crafted guitar, lined with silver strings and gold-colored frets. The tuners were made of the finest fiberglass, and the wood a fine oak, which was much like the color of honey. There wasn't a scratch or a dent anywhere on the instrument, and it was formed and fitted to her body specifically. Gazing upon it made Tea reminisce to when she was a bit younger and had a knack for making music with it, feeling the notes fill her soul, and how its voice would mesh with hers to become one harmonious sound. Sometimes, when school or work became too stressful for her, the anxious teenager would race to her room, pick up her guitar, and play. Tea didn't at all care about what it sounded like, only that it would make her succumb to its musical embrace. She missed that, and wondered why she hadn't picked it up in a while; was it because she was too busy with her friends, chasing away enemies of the pharaoh that try to destroy all life on earth as they know it? She figured this could be a possibility.

What horrified Tea more than realizing that her mother planned to sell her guitar was the price tag above it: $15.00 (case included). There was no way she would let it go, especially for such a severely inadequate price. Tea had to salvage her guitar; she felt as if she were falling back in love with it again. Without further hesitation, she jumped to her feet and marched to the guitar, packing it back into the case. She then turned to the woman, who appeared confused.

"I'm sorry ma'am, this item is no longer for sale," Tea said to the woman. The woman took one last look at the guitar, shrugged and walked away, seemingly not bothered by it at all. Tea smiled to herself, feeling as if she rekindled a lost love with her instrument. She grabbed the guitar and raced up to her room. She reopened the case and ran her fingers nimbly over the face of the guitar, picking up the accumulated grime.

"I'm sorry I've ignored you," Tea spoke softly to the wooden instrument, "but I'm gonna clean you up, tune your strings, and hopefully I can play you more often now." As she headed to the kitchen for some cleaning supplies, Tea began to recollect her knowledge of how to play the instrument – chords, notes, rhythm patterns, how to read tabs, etc. Playing guitar was like riding a bike, and thankfully, she hadn't forgotten how to do either.

"Mom can handle herself for a while," Tea said aloud to herself. "I need to bring this baby back to life!"

* * *

_Several weeks later..._

* * *

Tea felt as though she was on the cusp of a musical breakthrough. Almost everything came back to her instantly, and she remembered why she loved this guitar so much. A day or so after she rescued the guitar from the garage sale, she came across an acoustic version of one of the songs she had often heard on the radio. The original song was pretty good, she thought, but the acoustic version was absolutely divine. Just listening to it filled her heart to the brim with its warm melody, of course accompanied by the smooth and rhythmic guitar. As she was figuring out the chords and singing along, she couldn't help but let her mind wander to a certain boy's face...

No. It was the face of a young _man_, of whom she had, secretly, been gradually falling in love with. His bright, but sharp, violet eyes seemed to see right past her outer walls and into the very depths of her soul. They had become such good friends, once she had finally decided within herself to acknowledge him as his own person, rather than just the other half of Yugi's mind and soul. Tea suspected that this was also around the time she found herself falling for him, She couldn't help but notice the similarities between the lyrics of the song to the relationship she felt that she shared with the great nameless pharaoh. The more she sung, the more connected she felt with the song, and with him _through_ the song.

_It's too bad I'd never let myself play it for him, _she sadly thought, _I don't think I'd ever be that good._

Finally, Tea felt that she had the song to her own satisfaction, able to play it through smoothly without having to pause, and having made her musical interpretation apparent in her playing and singing. All the while she had been keeping Yugi up to date with her progress, as she felt he were the only one who wouldn't think she was geeky for this recent splurge of inspiration. Yugi marveled at her accomplishment, and suggested that she bring her guitar to their beach bonfire night during that weekend so she could play it for them.

"Are you sure, Yugi? I don't know..."

"Why not? What kind of friends would we be if we didn't support you doing what you love to do?" he said it matter-of-factly, like he thought she was insane for even questioning this.

"Thanks Yugi, I really appreciate it. It's just that I don't know if you guys would like it or not..."

"I'm sure Joey, Tristan, and Yami will love it. I definitely will, no doubt about it."

Tea's heart lurched at the mention of Yami's name. If she were to play for them, he would be listening too... just the thought made her nervous.

"Tea?"

"Oh, sorry Yugi, spaced out for a bit."

"And don't worry, I know the _Pharaoh_ would love to hear you sing and play your guitar."

"YUGI!" Tea shouted over the phone. Her face was warm and she felt quite embarrassed. Did Yami just hear him say that to her?

"Ha, don't worry, Yami doesn't listen to my phone conversations. So you gonna play for us or what?"

Tea let out a small sigh. She knew that if she played her music for the Pharaoh and she sounded terrible to him, it would ruin any chance of a love interest from him at all. Though she also knew that Yugi would persist if she declined. "Alright fine." She hung up and resumed her practice routine, suddenly way more self-conscious about the way she sounded.

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-TO BE CONTINUED-


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! LONG chapter here!**

**I hope you like this story so far, it's like my baby. Being a musician myself (for 9 years now), I wanted to create a fan fiction from a more musical angle - something I know quite a lot about. I know it's not THAT canon or anything, but I tried to make it somewhat a possibility so that people can imagine it and... and... yeah.**

**I'll shut up now. Read.**

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**Chapter 2**

It was Saturday afternoon in early August; the sun was shining boldly and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. The day was beautiful and full of promise. Tea enjoyed the breeze hitting her face and whipping her hair back as she cruised down the sidewalk on her bike. She would have probably been on this road a bit sooner, but she had to practice, just a few minutes more. _I will not let mediocrity enter the Great Pharaoh's ears,_ she thought, sort of jokingly.

It was Yami's turn to spend the day with the gang. Yugi insisted that he come out every so often, just so he's not always cooped up inside the puzzle, and plus, it wouldn't be fair to not allow him to see them unless they're in danger, after all. The young pharaoh had just arrived at "Dr. Fro-Yo", the blazingly popular frozen yogurt place (where the group usually met up on a hot summer day, such as today), just as Tea was parking and locking her bike.

"Tea!" he called to her, making her jump slightly. Tea completely forgot that it was the Pharaoh's day with the gang today. She turned to face him and flashed a wry smile his way. She didn't quite expect to hear his voice, nearly as deep as a true bass singer, but smoother and sweeter than honey. She hoped that she would somehow musically satisfy someone with a voice that was naturally so melodic.

"Hey Yami," she replied, waving. They entered the small establishment with brightly neon-colored walls and a pristine white tiled floor, just as Joey and Tristan hit the "buffet" table, and began piling toppings on their frozen yogurt sky-high. They didn't seem to notice the two walked in, as their attention was captured by what to pile on their yogurt bowls next – therefore it was impossible to note the awkward distance between Yami and Tea. It wasn't distance caused by repulsion, rather just a mutual (unknowingly romantic) apprehension. Eventually, the silence between them became too awkward, and Yami felt as if he would appear rude to not attempt to start a conversation.

"So I hear you're going to play for us tonight," he stated, suddenly remembering why Yugi was so excited for this particular bonfire night, despite many occurring in the past. Truthfully, Yami himself was quite curious as to what Tea would sound like, singing and playing the guitar she _raved_ about to Yugi; he never thought of her as a musician. He anticipated hearing her with much (concealed) enthusiasm.

"Y-yeah," Tea stuttered in response. She knew this was coming, that he would address this piece of news. She flushed warmly, the heat in her face causing her a great deal of unease. Her skin was naturally just fair enough to make blood rushing to her cheeks very visually apparent. This fact of her life frustrated her to no end, especially in situations like these. "I'm no Howie Day, though. Still gotta work on that."

Yami's soft expression creased into perplexity, as he was unfamiliar with today's new leading artists in this modern culture. "Who is Howie Day?"

"Oh, you probably wouldn't know who he is. He wrote the song I've been practicing all this time." The response she received was a rather indifferent nod of his head, having no further comment on the matter. It wasn't that he was apathetic to her passion in music; he just felt that he could not contribute adequately to a conversation on a subject matter he knew virtually nothing about. Part of him was still his pride, and he felt rather uncomfortable openly displaying his ignorance to someone else, especially to Tea.

Upon that thought, Yami wasn't so sure why it was _Tea_ who he thought of when he reflected on himself, and his self-importance – namely, how he appeared to everyone else. He didn't feel that he needed to know everything and be everything around Joey and Tristan, but somehow he felt that way, to some degree, when around the fiery young brunette standing next to him, who was currently acting very strangely, not how he remembered her as. Her attitude that was usually brimming with confidence seemed to have shied away, leaving a quiet, sheepish young girl. He wondered what it was that made it so, and felt that it didn't hurt to ask, as a friend would.

"Tea, are you feeling okay?"

The question seemed to fluster her, as if she were hiding something important. Nevertheless she quickly gathered herself and resumed her composure.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've just never really performed music for anyone else before. Well, except for my mom, of course."

"Of course..." he echoed. "But haven't you danced for people before? Like when we were at the arcade a while ago? It's still a performing art, is it not?" He fondly remembered watching Tea perform on the DDR machine in the Domino arcade, before all the Battle City madness occurred. She wasn't just placing the steps correctly (as appeared to be the only object of the game itself); she was _moving_ with the beat, using herself as an embodiment of the music, utilizing her grace and flexibility to create a riveting performance for the gathering crowd, the most pleased member of her audience of course being Yami. She had out-danced _and_ out-classed her opponent, Johnny Steps. It was quite exceptional to watch, and Yami was sure he had never seen anyone move with such artistic beauty before in his life, nor, he was almost certain, in his other life. That, and Tea was quite a lovely girl, and the way she put her soul into dance only magnified her natural beauty tenfold. Yami was, frankly, quite enamored by Tea, though he had never once admitted that to her. He knew he felt _something_ for her, whether it was strong friendship, or perhaps something more, he wasn't so sure, especially lately with Tea acting so oddly. Yami hoped he hadn't done anything to offend her, after all she had done for him.

"Yeah, I guess so. But it is also very different, too. When I dance, I show my interpretation of the song through my dance routine. I am taught the moves according to the music, though I am allowed to make it my own, to an extent. It's not like that when I sing or play guitar. When I do that,_ I_ am the one who controls the music, and I have a little more leeway in how I interpret it, therefore I can make it more of my own, and I have an imaginary little dancer that has to dance to the music that_ I_ make."

Tea released a small sigh, never having gone into this much depth before. She hadn't really thought about it that much, because no one really asked. No one really _knew_. Tea wondered if the Pharaoh thought she was... nerdy or something. "I guess it's like a control thing, but I really like being able to decide what my audience hears. Does any of this make sense? Or is this too nerdy for ya?" She chortled quietly at the end, hoping to pass it off as a joke, possibly to make herself somehow seem _less_ of a total nerd.

Tea's self-evaluation surprised Yami, especially her last statement. "No, Tea, you couldn't be more wrong. I do not think of you in that way at all. Everything you just told me came from your heart and soul, and it's what you love to do. Pharaoh or not, I am not one to judge you negatively on that; in fact I commend you on sticking with it, even when you somehow thought it wasn't cool or whatever. You've also helped me understand something I know almost nothing about." He reached over and let his hand rest upon hers in which, he hoped, was a comforting and not-too-forward way.

"In fact, I actually wanted to let you know something..." Tea looked up at this statement and found her staring right into Yami's crystalline violet eyes. They were serious but apprehensive, and yet at the same time, so captivatingly beautiful. She completely forgot to acknowledge what he had just told her, until...

"HEYO!" hollered the two other members of the gang, finally done with their yogurt business, joining them at the table. Both Yami and Tea jumped at their entrance, so involved in the brief moment that they even forgot Joey and Tristan were in the same building. Joey noticed Yami's hand still firmly holding Tea's, as Yami had virtually no time to react and remove it. He cocked a playful eyebrow at Yami, who quickly blushed and moved his hand away from Tea's, clearing his throat uncomfortably.

"Are we interrupting something?" Joey asked teasingly.

"No, nothing too important," Yami replied flatly. He waited until Tea's eyes found him again, and he mouthed the words 'I'll tell you later' with his lips. She understood, and nodded.

* * *

The sun was finally setting, as the teenagers ended their stroll around town and decided to return to their houses and grab some supplies for the planned bonfire night. They always had the same duties – Joey was in charge of the food and marshmellows, Tristan grabbed some diesel fuel and matches, Yugi got the logs, and Tea brought the blankets. It was a favored summer tradition they held many times each summer, basically whenever they had the chance. It was part of what brought them all together so closely in such a short amount of time.

Yami and Tea waited cautiously until Joey and Tristan were well on their way to their respective homes. Yami turned to her, enthralled by how the remaining orange glow of the sun touched her face and left a red tint on individual strands of her chocolate-brown hair.

"Tea?" The yellow and orange of the setting sun also appeared in her eyes, as he now noticed when her eyes found his. She was like a beautifully painted picture, and for that reason, he couldn't look away, nor could he remember exactly what he was about to tell her.

_The truth,_ Yugi reminded him inside his head, _you're going to tell her the truth. Come on, get it together!_

Right – he was going to tell her how he actually felt about her.

"Yeah? What was it that you wanted to tell me, Yami?" she seemed genuinely curious, which made Yami possibly more uncertain than he already was. For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to say it. It wasn't the right setting, he felt.

"Um... I'm looking forward to hearing you sing and play your guitar tonight," he finally mustered. The look on Tea's face fell slightly, before stretching into an appreciative smile. But underneath, Yami could sense her disappointment. She probably knew this wasn't what he actually wanted to tell her.

"Thanks Yami. I guess I'll... I'll see you in a few, then."

"Great. I'll see you soon then, Tea."

The two teenagers parted, an awkward silence hanging over them. Yami watched the young brunette mounted her bike and rode away. He slid his hands in his pockets and strode home in sort of a downbeat* fashion. How was it that he could face large, beastly Duel Monsters and psycho maniacs with Millennium items and magical powers, but couldn't tell this girl, his _friend_, what he was feeling for her? Was he ever going to summon up enough courage to tell her how he really feels? Should he at all? However if such an opportunity arises at the bonfire tonight, he could almost be certain that he would take it without hesitation or second thought...

* * *

*No musical pun intended. Well maybe.


	3. Chapter 3

**Not to toot my own horn, but I gotta say, this chapter is pretty squeal-icious. Yeah, it's a word (not).**

**Please enjoy the romantic exchanges and ignore that some of them may be painfully cliche. Kthanks.**

**And please forgive me if my interpretation of the song is so off that you want to kill yourself. Be assured that that was not my intent. :)**

**Okay, shutting up now.**

**

* * *

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**Chapter 3**

As beautiful as the Domino State Beach was during the daytime, it had considerably _more_ appeal during the night, when the sand was cool and the ocean's waves calmly rushed against the shoreline in the distance. Of course the most dazzling quality of the beach at night was the ethereal glow of the moon above the shore, reflecting off the water and dancing along the dunes of the sand.

_Simply stunning_, Tea thought. Its celestial brilliance never failed to amaze her.

Keeping her eyes mostly on the water, Tea followed her friends to the area around Tower 4, with four thick blankets over her arms, and her guitar case strapped securely to her back. The pharaoh was a few steps ahead of her, with a few logs tucked under his arm; she didn't dare look his way. One of the few thoughts that danced around in her mind, the thing that has been puzzling her throughout the evening up to this very moment, was their last encounter, before everyone had dispersed.

It was what he said, or meant to say, that had her mind at unease. Yami was trying to tell her something important, she was sure, but for whatever reason, he didn't – rather, he concluded their meeting with a small expression of encouragement before parting ways with her. It did cross her mind that it may have had something to do with her, or him in relevance to her. Was it a shy, romantic gesture on his part? Was he trying to _hint_ something at her? No – he seemed genuinely flustered.

_There's really no reason why he would like me, anyway,_ she inwardly mused to herself. _We're so different. We're like complete opposites of each other. Anything beyond friendship would never work._ The thought saddened Tea, but she refused to give herself false hope for something that was so unlikely in her eyes.

"This looks like a good spot!" Joey's voice broke her reverie and she made an abrupt return to the reality of her surroundings. Suddenly she could hear the gentle crashing of the waves again, and could feel her sandaled feet sift through sand as she walked. She handed each boy their blanket, avoiding eye contact with Yami as he took it from her hands. She barely heard the quiet 'thank you' he uttered to her as a response.

* * *

The night continued with the gang's idle chatter and merry laughs at the idiotic things Joey would say, and the silly frivolous things he and Tristan would bicker about. Tea gradually started to loosen up a little and become more comfortable, the earlier predicament settling in the back of her mind as she mentally ran through her song another time. While the others were talking, she reached into her guitar case and pulled out the instrument, and began to tune the strings. All conversation ceased for a few moments, before she assured her friends that they could keep talking, she was just tuning the guitar. As she strained her ear to achieve the perfect pitch on each of her strings, Tea could _feel_ the pharaoh's curious gaze. He seemed infinitely more interested in watching her than listening to Joey's and Tristan's pointless banter.

Finally, after playing a few chords to ensure that the strings were in tune with each other, everyone hushed and waited patiently for Tea to get situated and mentally prepared. She deliberately placed her blanket where it was, so she could use the large rock next to it for back support. She sat cross-legged with her back against the rock, held the guitar in front of her with the arch balanced on her leg, briefly and softly tapped the rhythm on the face of the guitar with her thumb, and at last began to strum the obliging strings with her fingers.

The gang was completely silent, allowing the sound waves from the bright-sounding guitar ring in the air, to be accompanied by the distant sound of the ocean's tide receding from the shore and the crickets' soft steady chirping, and further engaged the bonfire ambiance. Once the brunette completed the first two bars of the intro, she immediately relaxed and she allowed herself to get lost in her own music, entranced as she was when she practiced in her room day after day. Her nervousness melted away as the fire crackled, the waves crashed, and the crickets chirped. It all felt natural from here on out, and the rush of playing her beloved instrument carried her away from this planet.

On the other side of the guitar, Yami was indeed the most attentive and observant member of her audience. The image of Tea, playing her instrument so lovingly and passionately, with the glow of the fire amplifying the beauty of her face, and correspondingly the face of the guitar, was truly a sight to behold. He watched with amazement as her fingers pulled and danced around the six strings with her right hand, and formulating chords on the fret board with her left (while occasionally playing filler notes inbetween chords), and wondered how in the world one could have the coordination necessary to juggle so many tasks all at once? And yet, despite the tedious multi-tasking, could create such a harmonious sound that filled his ears – no, his _soul_ – with such serenity and peace within himself?

Of course, this was only the intro, and when Tea began to sing, Yami himself was truly in awe.

_The dawn is breaking_

_A light shining through_

_You're barely waking_

_And I'm tangled up in you_

_Yeah_

Tea's voice was the true living example of purity and wholesomeness. She wasn't a trained singer, he could tell, but he loved hearing her voice just the same. It didn't have the same generic tone and the obnoxious vibrato that most singers he'd heard use. She hit the notes perfectly, with a small wiggle of vibrato trailing the end of her lines, perfectly shaping her phrases. The body of her voice was unadulterated, emotional, melodious sound.

_But I'm open, you're closed_

_Where I follow, you'll go_

_I worry I won't see your face_

_Light up again..._

The crescendo into the chorus brought upon a new energy strummed into the guitar. Little did the pharaoh know that Tea sang of their impossible love, one that would never work, one that was never to be requited.

_Even the best fall down sometimes_

_Even the wrong words seem to rhyme_

_Out of the doubt that fills your mind_

_I somehow find you and I collide..._

Entranced as Yami was, with the music penetrating his outer shell and warming his core, he managed to delve into his recent memories, when he was out with Tea, and when she was challenged to a dance-off, of sorts. He remembered how intrigued he was at this foreign machine and what it was supposed to do, and how flabbergasted he was while watching his brunette friend both master the game and showed what she could _really_ do on the dance floor. Yami remembered the admiration he felt, when she turned around and sent him a wink and thumbs up.

That does not even compare to the new level of adoration the pharaoh felt for the brunette at this moment, as she poured her heart and soul into the simple, but charming melody that let his spirit soar high above the clouds. He wasn't sure what the original artist, Howie Day, sounded like singing and playing this, but without a doubt, Day couldn't measure up to to Tea. There was simply no way he or anyone could match such an angelic voice as hers.

_I'm quiet, you know_

_You make a first impression_

_I've found I'm scared to know_

_I'm always on your mind..._

Tea was truly always on his mind.

Yami didn't even know exactly who he was, but none of that mattered to him now. Where his heart lied was not a mystery to him like his past memories were. The spirit then decided to cast all burdening thoughts aside, and solely enjoy the marvelous sight in front of him, and the music that moved him so.

_Even the best fall down sometimes_

_Even the stars refuse to shine_

_Out of the back you fall in time_

_I somehow find, you and I collide_

_Well don't stop here_

_I've lost my place_

_I'm close behind,_

_I'm close behind..._

_Even the best fall down sometimes_

_Even the wrong words seem to rhyme_

_Out of the doubt that fills your mind_

_You finally find that you and I collide..._

_You finally find_

_You and I,_

_You and I, oh no_

_Well I've,_

_I've found you..._

As Tea hummed the last of the melody, both the guitar and her voice diminished in volume, bringing tranquility to all who listened.

The brunette musician brought the piece to a close with a gentle strum of the conclusive chord, holding still for a moment while the final notes were suspended in the air, until it faded into complete silence. She acknowledged the end of the song by allowing her body to slouch a bit and lifting her head to meet the eyes of her audience, her best friends, people who she will never stop loving and supporting, no matter what lied in the future.

Yami released a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

Her friends just couldn't believe it. No one made a sound, only sat on their respective blankets, dumbstruck. The fire continued to crackle in the silence.

"Wow Tea, you got chops!" Joey finally broke the silence. Everyone chuckled at his remark in agreement. Praises were passed around, including the compliments relayed by the pharaoh, from Yugi, who listened from within the Puzzle. Tea was, of course, delighted to receive such positive feedback, and was very flattered indeed.

Soon after the performance, the gang decided to retire and head home, as it must have been nearly one o'clock in the morning. Joey and Tristan gathered the food and supplies that was left, and left the bonfire as a small orange pile of embers waiting to die out. Tea urged her friends to start ahead and she'll catch up, but Yami didn't go with them. He stayed behind, watching Tea as she packed away her guitar and gathered the blankets.

"You don't have to wait for me," she told the pharaoh. Still, he did not leave.

"I don't have to, but I hope you don't mind that I do anyway," he casually responded.

"Oh... well, thank you, then."

"You're welcome."

A rather awkward silence ensued as Tea continued to fold the blankets and lay them next to her guitar case. Her frenzied heart was beating wildly in her chest; it was loud and frantic in her ears.

"You sang and played beautifully tonight, Tea."

Tea looked into the spirit's eyes to thank him, as she liked to do to everybody, and froze when she saw the sincerity in his eyes. The moonlight illuminated the violet in them, and for that reason, she was drawn to them... to him.

"Th-thank you," she stammered. "I'm really glad you liked it." Too generic; it couldn't possibly express her true appreciation.

"Liked it? Tea, I _loved_ it. It touched me deeply. I have always known you possessed an innumerous amount of talent, and music is definitely something you excel at beyond anyone that I know."

Tea felt the unmistakable heat rise to her cheeks, praying that the color be obscured by the darkness of the night. It was then that she realized that Yami was approaching her, slowly, but surely.

"What was the song about?" he asked.

"Well, um, it's about someone who admires someone else from afar, but feels that they could never share love."

"Why is that?" the pharaoh was still coming closer.

"Because they're complete opposites. Nothing between them would work because they're just too different. They 'collide', as the song goes."

The two were so close now, that Tea could see the moon itself in his eyes. The pharaoh smiled at her; it was genuine and sweet.

"But what about the rest of the song? What about the lines: 'even the best fall down sometimes' and 'even the wrong words seem to rhyme'? Don't they have meaning as well?"

"Well, uh–"

"And what about 'I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind'? Surely that means that is an indication that the second party returns the feelings of the first, in some way or another?"

Tea did not give a response. After the initial shock that he remembered the lyrics so well after one hearing faded away, she realized she had found herself in an interpretive discussion about a modern-day song with the spirit of a five thousand-year-old pharaoh. She was well aware of his intelligence and mastery of strategy and game-solving, but never did she imagine his profound way of thinking when it came to the arts. And still, the pharaoh came closer, so that their faces were about a foot apart.

"Don't get me wrong, you sang this song wonderfully, but I think you may have overlooked the true meaning of it. It's not about impossible love between two different people; it's about _hope_. Hope that they can share something _despite_ their differences."

A hand appeared at her cheek – a warm, soft hand. Tea's heart was racing out of control now, and she wondered if it was loud enough for the pharaoh to hear.

"And I do believe that opposites attract. Wouldn't you agree?"

Still she didn't answer, just stood frozen at the spot, waiting anxiously for Yami's next move. Their faces were merely inches apart now. Tea was surely rendered spellbound by his overwhelming presence and his extravagant, provocative eyes. She was beyond lost in them, and watched with alarm as his eyelids slid closed, and she felt warm lips capture her own. Her entire body felt hot and languid, simply melting into his embrace. This was much more than she had ever imagined his kiss would be like, and she loved every second of it. How someone could have so much control over her astounded her greatly. They broke apart, and the pharaoh pulled her face in closer so their cheeks touched.

"I know we are different, in past, present, and future," he whispered softly in her ear. "But despite it all, I still fell for you the moment I saw you dance, and it only grew stronger now that I've heard you sing. Just know that my love for you does and will forever transcend any differences we may have, or will have in the future. I love you, Tea, more than anything else in the world and any other realm I could name."

A droplet of a tear made contact with his face. Yami pulled away to discover that Tea was crying, with a wide grin on her face – a face so divine, one could mistake her for a fallen angel. Her eyes resembled two exquisitely blue pools of water, or perhaps the clear sky on a perfectly sunny afternoon. Her reaction served as an adequate response for the spirit, and he was ready to open his heart's content, and give it all to her.

His lips found hers in a perfect fit, giving her a kiss that sent her mind tumbling, her heart fluttering, and her entire body melting. They felt their spirits combine as one, and both felt peaceful resolve in their hearts. The thin dark clouds that were briefly partially obscuring the moon's rays drifted past, allowing the moon to cast a bright glow upon the young lovers, as if it were smiling down on them, for the stars were now aligned.

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-THE END-

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**Epilogue coming soon!**


	4. Epilogue

**Finally complete! I almost forgot what that feels like, actually completing a story. Heh.**

**Anyway, sorry if you didn't like the way this story turned out, it was romantic and all, but this is how it must end. I'm trying to create art, not solely readers' satisfaction.**

**I figured that I had to finish this before this new inspiration for another short story takes me out of the mood of this one entirely! Look out for more updates in the (hopefully) near future!**

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**Epilogue**

Even as days, weeks, almost months had passed, Tea could never again separate herself from the instrument that not only created beautiful sounds, but held so much symbolism. Even during every distressing night: during the Battle City finals, the Orichalcos mayhem (and the temporary losing of poor Yugi's soul), and even the part that was undeniably the hardest – realizing that she, and everyone else in this world, had to say goodbye. To _him_.

It was _he_ that held her heart, since the fateful night at the beach, through all the pain, turmoil, and suffering that befell her and her friends, especially _him_. She remembered the tear-filled nights, not all tears shed by her. Consoling the broken-spirited pharaoh after he had lost his dearest friend by his own lack of coherent judgment, witnessing him nearly kill Weevil atop the fast moving train, watching him break down yet again on the floor of the Valley of Lost Souls, was a dark, dark time indeed. Still, it made them stronger – as individuals, and their relationship with each other.

He, who had and will always have her heart, was the Great Nameless Pharaoh, Yami.

No, he wasn't nameless anymore. His name was Atem. They had finally learned his name, his heritage, his past, and his destiny. His destiny, of course, being by far the most difficult to accept.

Tea plucked at random individual strings on her guitar, crying softly on her bed, cradling one of two things she could remember him by. That, and the shiny necklace, with a silver oval-shaped pendant, hanging from her neck. She grasped it in her hand, feeling the indents leaving marks on her palm. The text engraved upon its face was written in ancient hieroglyphics, a language that will forever be foreign to her, but she knew what the letters meant.

Atem.

The name will never leave her mind, heart, or soul. It was beautiful in every way, very much like him.

* * *

_The two lovers held each other close – the pharaoh of the ancient past and the musician of the present, a pair chosen by destiny itself. They made love, most likely for the last time, and it was both bittersweet and extremely emotional for them both. It was the best love-making of all._

"_Atem..." she whispered, leaning her head against his shoulder._

"_Yes, Tea?"_

_Tears rolled down her cheeks. It was too much to bear._

"_I love you... so, so much."_

"_And I you. Could you do something for me?"_

"_Anything, anything you want."_

"_Would you... play me that song, one more time? The one you played for me, the day I fell in love with you."_

"_I... I don't think I can..."_

"_Please, I must hear you sing, at least one more time. It would mean more to me than anything else."_

_Tea took in a revitalizing, but choking, breath. She uttered a small "alright" before pulling the blanket aside, throwing on a large t-shirt, and picked up her guitar. Atem got dressed as well while she did this, and the two sat on the floor._

_The guitar strumming was a little unsteady, her voice was trembling with emotion, and she fought to stay in the same key. But Atem didn't care. To him, it was just as breathtakingly beautiful as when he'd first heard it. Despite the disheveled hair, redness of the eyes, and tears cascading down her face, Tea still glowed. She and the music still mesmerized him._

_It came to the point where Tea could no longer continue, so fraught with sadness that she even had trouble remembering the words that followed. Seeing this, Atem hastily rushed to her, gently pulling the stringed instrument from her lap and holding her close to him as she sobbed into his chest._

"_Thank you, Tea. I cannot explain in words how much that means to me."_

_Atem's tired eyes wavered to the clock sitting on her nightstand. "I must go and prepare for my duel," he uttered sorrowfully, releasing her from his grip. And then they connected with one last kiss, savoring the taste of their mouths, etching each other into their memories to have for the rest of eternity. During the moment of sensuous passion, Tea felt something being pressed to her hand before having it forcibly closed. Atem's mouth departed from hers, one last time._

"_I love you, Tea. Goodbye."_

"_Goodbye, Atem."_

_Moments after he shut the door behind him, Tea glanced at the object in her hand – the cartouche that she gave him, before they traveled back in time to relive his past. His name, Atem, was flawlessly engraved on it. She pressed it close to her heart. It seemed to warm up as she did this, as if trying to provide a small piece of his essence for her to keep even after he is long gone._

"_I will never, ever forget you."_

* * *

Tea released the cartouche from her hand, letting it fall back against her chest. She picked up her guitar, and played the song again, to what would be an empty audience, had it not been for Atem's still ever-existing soul, listening.

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-END-


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